Cibolo planning commission recommends denial of Steel Creek Unit 9 plat over drainage and traffic concerns

The Cibolo Planning & Zoning Commission voted May 13 to recommend denial of the final plat for Steel Creek Unit 9, a proposed 23.946-acre subdivision that would add 36 single-family lots largely adjacent to FEMA floodplain.

Planning staff presented the plat and said the developer, Continental Homes of Texas LP, proposed 36 lots with two open-space lots, about 3,105 linear feet of roadway and an 8-foot public trail required under the amended public improvement agreement. Staff noted the developer submitted an updated Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) that was approved by the city engineer on March 30, 2026.

Commissioners pressed staff and the consultant on drainage and traffic. Commissioner Emma Hubbard said the neighborhood experiences regular flooding and cautioned that the stormwater management plan on file “only addresses water quality, not quantity,” adding that current studies do not show whether flood volumes will worsen with additional development. Hubbard moved to deny the plat, saying the TIA information and drainage study left unanswered safety concerns for residents.

Planning staff and consultants told the commission that TIAs are valid for five years under the city’s Unified Development Code and that a new TIA would be required if land uses or peak-hour trip assumptions change. Planning staff also said the UDC requires developers to ensure post‑development conditions are not worse than pre‑development conditions: “They just can’t make it worse. It doesn’t say that they have to make it better,” a staff member said.

Commissioners also raised traffic and access issues: several speakers noted Steel Creek currently has a single ingress/egress and that nearby lane closures on FM 1103 create congestion and safety worries during peak travel and storm events. Commissioners asked whether the city engineer or consultant could present more detailed TIA assumptions and how the city would enforce long-term maintenance of drainage features if an HOA fails to meet obligations.

After discussion, Commissioner Emma Hubbard moved to deny the final plat; the motion was seconded and carried by the commission. The Planning & Zoning Commission’s recommendation now goes to Cibolo City Council for final action.

The record shows staff had determined the submittal met procedural UDC requirements and that the updated TIA had been approved by the city engineer; the commission’s recommendation noted unresolved questions about flood volumes, HOA maintenance responsibilities and traffic triggers that could require reevaluation of the TIA before final approval at council.